Network system of home appliance and network setup method of the same

ABSTRACT

A home appliance includes a first communication circuitry configured to communicate with a mobile terminal placed within a first communication range supporting a first communication method, a second communication circuitry configured to communicate with an external wireless access point apparatus placed within a second communication range supporting a second communication method, and at least one processor configured to control the first communication circuitry to detect the mobile terminal, the mobile terminal being executing an application for communicating with the home appliance, based on detecting the mobile terminal, obtain, via the first communication circuitry, network set-up information from the mobile terminal for connecting to the external wireless access point apparatus, control the second communication circuitry to establish a communication with the external wireless access point apparatus using the obtained network set-up information, and control the second communication circuitry to access an internet via the external wireless access point apparatus.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 17/365,406 filed on Jul. 1, 2021, which is acontinuation application of U.S. Pat. No. 11,140,727 issued Oct. 5,2021, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/729,604 filed ono Dec. 28, 2012, which claims the prioritybenefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2011-0144726, filed on Dec.28, 2011, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosures ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a network system of ahome appliance configured to set up a network of a home appliance byusing a terminal, and a network set-up method of the same.

2. Description of the Related Art

As the digital era is in full swing, home appliances, for example, awashing machine, a refrigerator, and an air conditioner, at an inside ahousehold or a building are being replaced with high-speed, digital homeappliances that are configured to transmit high-speed, high-quantitydata, and thus a system configured to integrally manage a network thatis built between the home appliances is being developed.

The network system being developed in recent years is configured toconnect a plurality of home appliances to an outside service apparatusthat is capable of integrally managing the plurality of home appliances,by use of a network that is built at an inside a building, therebyenabling data to be interchangeably transmitted/received between theplurality of home appliances and the outside service apparatus.

With respect to the network system, a WIFI (Wireless Fidelity) module isbuilt in a home appliance, and a wireless access apparatus (accesspoint: AP) configured to connect the home appliance to an outsideInternet while being connected to the WIFI module is installed. Thus,the home appliance having built with the WIFI module is needed to accessthe AP in order to be connected with the outside Internet within acertain distance from which the AP is installed. According to the above,the home appliance having built with the WIFI module is needed to beprovided with an input interface or a display apparatus configured toinput/output a SSID (Service Set Identifier) and an authentication keyto set up the WIFI.

However, with respect to most of the home appliances, since adding asophisticated input/output apparatus, such as the input interface or thedisplay apparatus, is difficult due to a reason such as cost, the inputand the verification of the SSID, an authentication method, anencryption method, and an authentication key that are needed whensetting up the WIFI may be difficult. In addition, since no inputapparatus is present, the set-up value of the AP, the deviceinformation, and the device authentication key are needed to be storedat a Read-Only Memory (ROM) when mass-producing, thereby becomingvulnerable to hacking.

Other than the above, conventionally, when the home appliance is to besold, the AP is needed to be provided to set up the WIFI. A user mayneed to purchase the AP separately in order to set up the network of thehome appliance.

SUMMARY

Therefore, it is an aspect of the present disclosure to provide anetwork system of a home appliance capable of setting up a WIFI evenwithout having an input/output apparatus, by converting the homeappliance having built with a WIFI module into an AP, and then byenabling a terminal that supports the WIFI to be connected to the homeappliance that is converted into the AP, and a network set-up method ofthe same.

Additional aspects of the disclosure will be set forth in part in thedescription which follows and, in part, will be apparent from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the disclosure.

In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, a network systemof a home appliance includes the home appliance, a terminal and awireless access apparatus. The home appliance may be capable of anetwork. The terminal may be configured to transmit authenticationinformation, which is needed to set up the network of the homeappliance, to the home appliance without a user input by executing anapplication configured to set up the network of the home appliance. Thewireless access apparatus may be configured to connect the homeappliance to the terminal in a wireless manner through the network.

The home appliance may include a WIFI module.

The terminal may be configured to execute a WIFI set-up application,which is configured to set up the network of the home appliance, whilebeing connected to the WIFI module.

The home appliance may further include an input unit. The input unit maybe configured to select an access point (AP) conversion mode so that theterminal is connected to the home appliance without going through thewireless access apparatus.

The input unit may be configured to select the AP conversion mode by atleast one button provided at the home appliance as an access point (AP)conversion button.

The network system may further include a control unit. The control unitmay be configured to operate the home appliance as the wireless accessapparatus when the AP conversion mode is selected.

When the home appliance is operated as the wireless access apparatus,the terminal may be configured to transmit network set-up information ofthe terminal to the home appliance without a user input, by use of theWIFI.

The terminal may include a near field communication (NFC) module.

When the terminal is placed within a range of the home appliance, theterminal may be configured to transmit network set-up information of theterminal to the home appliance without a user input, by use of a NFCcommunication.

The network set-up information may be information that is selected froma plurality of pieces of network set-up information being used at theterminal, and used as authentication information needed to set up thenetwork of the home appliance.

The home appliance may be configured to be connected to the wirelessaccess apparatus by using the network set-up information beingtransmitted from the terminal.

The home appliance may be connected to an outside Internet networkthrough the WIFI module.

The terminal may include all devices capable of supporting WIFI.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofsetting a network of a home appliance comprising the home appliancecapable of a network, a terminal to execute an application configured toset up the network of the home appliance, and a wireless accessapparatus to connect the home appliance to the terminal in a wirelessmanner is as follows. An access point (AP) conversion mode may beselected so that the terminal is connected to the home appliance withoutgoing through the wireless access apparatus. The home appliance may beoperated as an AP home appliance if the AP conversion mode is selected.Authentication information, which is needed to set up the network of thehome appliance, may be transmitted from the terminal to the homeappliance without a user input if the home appliance is operated as theAP home appliance. Setting up the network of the home appliance iscompleted by use of setting authentication information.

The home appliance may include a WIFI module.

The terminal may be configured to execute a WIFI set-up application,which is configured to set up the network of the home appliance, whilebeing connected to the WIFI module.

The AP conversion mode may be a mode configured to operate the homeappliance as the wireless access apparatus.

When the home appliance is operated as the wireless access apparatus,the terminal may select one of network set-up information being used atthe terminal and transmit the selected network set-up information to thehome appliance without a user input.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure, a method ofsetting a network of a home appliance comprising the home appliancecapable of a network, a terminal to execute an application needed to setup the network of the home appliance, and a wireless access apparatus toconnect the home appliance to the terminal in a wireless manner is asfollows. The terminal may be placed near at the home appliance.Authentication information, which is needed to set up the network of thehome appliance, may be transmitted from the terminal to the homeappliance without a user input. Setting up of the network of the homeappliance may be completed by use of setting information.

The home appliance may include a WIFI module.

The terminal may include a near field communication (NFC) module, andmay be configured to execute a WIFI set-up application, which isconfigured to set up the network of the home appliance, while beingconnected to the NFC module.

When the terminal is placed near the home appliance, the terminal mayselect one of network set-up information being used at the terminal, andtransmit the selected network set-up information to the home appliancewithout a user input.

The wireless access apparatus may be connected to the WIFI module toconnect the home appliance to an outside Internet network.

In accordance with the suggested network system and the network set-upmethod of the same, when connecting to an AP at a terminal, which isconfigured to support a WIFI, to use the terminal, after converting thehome appliance having built with a WIFI module into an AP such that theterminal is connected to the AP home appliance, information stored atthe terminal is transmitted to the AP home appliance, and thus the WIFImay be set up without a separate manipulation of a user at the time ofsetting up the WIFI of the home appliance. Thus, without adding aninput/output apparatus such as a display apparatus or an inputinterface, the set-up value of the AP, the device information, and thedevice authentication key may be changed, and thus is safer from hackattacks, and when the home appliance is to be sold, an AP is not neededto be provided, and thus a cost-related advantage may be obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent andmore readily appreciated from the following description of theembodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings ofwhich:

FIG. 1 is an overall view showing the configuration of a network systemof a home appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing an example of the home appliance inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration of the network systemof the home appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a method of setting up a network by usinga terminal that supports a WIFI at the network system of the homeappliance in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a method of setting up a network by usinga terminal having built with a NFC module at the network system of thehome appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a method of controlling the homeappliance at the network system of the home appliance after the homeappliance is set up to access a wireless access apparatus in accordancewith an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of the presentdisclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elementsthroughout.

FIG. 1 is an overall a view showing the configuration of a networksystem of a home appliance in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

On FIG. 1, the network system of the home appliance includes a homeappliance 10 having built with a WIFI module 12, a terminal 30configured to execute an application to proceed with a WIFI set-up ofthe home appliance 10, and an wireless access apparatus (access point:AP) 40 configured to connect the home appliance 10 to an outsideInternet network.

The home appliance 10 includes all of various electronic products, suchas a washing machine, a refrigerator, a microwave, a TV, and an airconditioner, that are being used at a household in general, and by usingthe WIFI module 12 built at the home appliance 10, the home appliance 10may be connected to an outside Internet network.

The terminal 30 is an apparatus connected to the WIFI module 12 built atthe home appliance 10, and configured to execute an exclusiveapplication (hereinafter called as an APP) to proceed with the WIFIset-up of the home appliance 10, and the terminal 30 includes all thedevices that are capable of a WIFI support.

In addition, the terminal 30 is provided with a NFC (Near FieldCommunication) module 32 built thereto, and while being connected to theNFC module 32, may execute the application configured to proceed withthe WIFI set-up of the home appliance 10.

The terminal 30 may be any electronic device capable of connecting tothe wireless, wired, or wireless-wired hybrid network. The terminal 30may include a smart phone, a PDA (personal digital assistant), a PMP(Portable Multimedia Player), a notebook, and a desktop computer. Inaddition, the terminal 30 includes a device, which is capable ofcarrying out various functions that use various application programs,such as a digital camera having cable/wireless communication functions,or a camcorder.

At the terminal 30, the application to proceed with the WIFI set-up ofthe home appliance 10 is installed, and another application may beinstalled at the terminal 30 additionally and utilized according to use.This application may be pre-installed or installed after downloading theapplication to the terminal 30. The application may be specific to thehome appliance built by different manufactures or a standard applicationthat may be used for any home appliance regardless of the manufacturer.

Further, the terminal 30 may be connected to an outside Internet networkby using a secured communication protocol. At this time, at the outsideInternet network that is being connected to the terminal 30, variouscommunication links such as a ZigBee communications network, a WIFIcommunications network, a Bluetooth communications network, a mobilecommunications network, a LAN, a WAN, and a point-to-point telephonecircuit connections may be used.

The AP 40 is configured to connect the home appliance 10 to an outsideInternet network, as the AP 40 is connected to the WIFI module 12 builtat the home appliance 10. The AP 40 is configured to connect the homeappliance 10 having built with the WIFI module 12 to an outside Internetnetwork within a range of the AP 40.

FIG. 2 is a drawing showing an example of the home appliance inaccordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In FIG. 2, a washing machine, as a non-limiting example of the homeappliance 10, is provided with a body 14 forming an exterior appearanceof the washing machine, and is also provided with a door 16 installed ata front surface of the body 14 so that a laundry may be insertedinto/withdrawn from.

In addition, at an upper portion of a front of the body 14, a controlpanel 18 at which various input units, and a display configured tocontrol the home appliance 10 is provided. At the control panel 18, theinput units may include various buttons 20-1, 20-2, and 20-3 configuredto be received with a command of a user to control the operation of thehome appliance 10, and a display unit 22 configured to display theoperation state of the home appliance 10 and the manipulation state of auser is disposed. The input units may be a touch screen or wirelessremote control. Certain buttons 20-2 and 20-3 among the various buttons20-1, 20-2 and 20-3 disposed at the control panel 18 are being used asAP conversion buttons configured to convert the home appliance 10 intothe AP 40. As an example, the buttons 20-2 and 20-3 may include a rinsebutton and a spin button, respectively.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a configuration of the network system of thehome appliance in accordance with an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

In FIG. 3, the home appliance 10 having built with the WIFI module 12includes an input unit 20, the display unit 22, a home appliancecontrolling unit 24, a memory 26, and a network interface unit 28.

The input unit 20 is configured to input a command to select the APconversion mode of the home appliance 10 by the manipulation of a user,and may include a key, a button, a switch, and a touchpad. The inputunit 20 includes all the apparatuses that generate predetermined inputdata by the manipulations such as pushing, contacting, pressing, androtating.

The display unit 22 is configured to display the operation state of thehome appliance 10 and the manipulation state of a user, for example, asa 7-segment and a LED, according to a display controlling signal of thehome appliance controlling unit 24. As shown above, the input unit 20and the display unit 22 may be integrated into one device, such as atouch screen unit for a user to input.

The home appliance controlling unit 24 represents a microcomputerconfigured to control overall operations of the home appliance 10, andwhen the AP conversion mode is selected by the input unit 20, the homeappliance controlling unit 24 operates the WIFI module 12 built at thehome appliance 10 in an AP mode. According to the above, the terminal 30is AP-connected to the home appliance 10, which is converted into the APmode, and by transmitting WIFI set-up information stored at the terminal30 to the AP home appliance 10, the WIFI set-up of the home appliance 10is taken place without a separate user manipulation.

The home appliance controlling unit 24, after enabling the terminal 30to be AP-connected to the home appliance 10 by having the home appliance10 to be operated as the AP, when the home appliance 10 makes access tothe AP 40, by selecting one set-up information from the AP set-upinformation being used at the terminal 30, the information needed to setup the WIFI of the home appliance 10 is set up at the home appliance 10without a user having to reenter the information needed to set up theWIFI of the home appliance 10. The information needed to set up the WIFIof the home appliance 10 may include a SSID, an authentication method,an encryption method, and an authentication key is.

In addition, with respect to the home appliance controlling unit 24,when the terminal 30 having built with the NFC module, when the terminal30 is placed within a range of the home appliance 10, the terminal 30 isAP-connected to the home appliance 10. Thus, by transmitting the WIFIset-up information stored at the terminal 30 to the AP home appliance10, the home appliance controlling unit 24 controls in a way that theWIFI set-up of the home appliance 10 may be taken place without aseparate manipulation by a user.

The home appliance controlling unit 24, after enabling the terminal 30having built with the NFC module 32 to be AP-connected to the homeappliance 10 by placing the terminal 30 having built with the NFC module32 within the range of the home appliance 10, when the home appliance 10is connected to the AP 40, by selecting one set-up information from theAP set-up information being used at the terminal 30, the informationsuch as a SSID, an authentication method, an encryption method, and anauthentication key, to set up the WIFI of the home appliance 10 is setup at the home appliance 10 without a user having to reenter theinformation needed to set up the WIFI of the home appliance 10.

The memory 26 is configured to store at least one device informationthat includes product information of the home appliance 10 to set up theWIFI of the home appliance 10, and includes a data storage such as a ROMor a EEPROM. The memory may be any non-volatile type memory to retainstored information even when not powered.

In addition, at the memory 26, control data configured to control theoperation of the home appliance 10, reference data being used whilecontrolling the operation of the home appliance 10, operation data thatis generated while the home appliance 10 performs a predeterminedoperation, operation information such as set-up data being input by theinput unit 20 for the home appliance 10 to perform a predeterminedoperation, the frequency of a particular operation being performed bythe home appliance 10, usage information having the model information ofthe home appliance 10, and error information having the diagnosis datawith respect to the cause of the malfunction or the malfunction positionwhen the malfunction of the home appliance occurs.

The network interface unit 28 allows the home appliance 10 to be in anetwork connection with the terminal 30 so that the home appliance 10may network-communicate with the terminal 30 through a WIFI. The networkinterface unit 28 may be able to display a message, which indicates thestate of transmitting the WIFI set-up information of the terminal 30 bythe control of the home appliance controlling unit 24, through thedisplay unit.

In addition, the terminal 30 that includes the network system includesan input apparatus 33, an output apparatus 34, a terminal controllingunit 35, an APP executing unit 36, and a network interface unit 37.

The input apparatus 33 is configured to input a command to select theinformation to be set up at the home appliance 10 by the manipulation ofa user, and may include a key, a button, a switch, and a touchpad, whilethe input apparatus 33 includes all the apparatuses that generatepredetermined input data by the manipulations such as pushing,contacting, pressing, and rotating.

The output apparatus 34 represents a display panel provided at theterminal 30, and is configured to display the current state screen ofthe terminal 30 or various set-up screen by receiving the control of theterminal controlling unit 35. The display may be any type of screen todisplay information to a user and may include a flat screen panel. Thedisplay panel may be implemented by a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), LED(Light Emitting Diode), OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) and a PDP(Plasma Display Panel).

The terminal controlling unit 35 represents a microcomputer configuredto control overall operations of the terminal 30, and when theinformation to be set up at the home appliance 10 is selected by theinput apparatus 33 among the AP set-up information being used at theterminal 30, the terminal controlling unit 35 controls in a way that theinformation that a user is selected, such as the SSID, theauthentication method, the encryption method, and the authenticationkey, is transmitted to the home appliance 10 by executing the APP.

The APP executing unit 36 is configured to execute the APP configured toautomatically set up the WIFI, and the APP is executed at the terminal30 so that the network set-up of the home appliance 10 is proceeded.

The network interface unit 37 allows the home appliance 10 to be in anetwork connection with the terminal 30 so that the home appliance 10may network-communicate with the terminal 30 through a WIFI or a NFCcommunication. The network interface unit 37 may be able to display themessage, which indicates the state of transmitting the network set-upinformation of the terminal 30 by the control of the terminalcontrolling unit 35, through the output apparatus 34.

Hereinafter, the network system of the home appliance shown as theabove, and the operation process and the reaction effect of the networkset-up method of the same will be described.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing a method of setting up a network by usinga terminal that supports a WIFI at the network system of the homeappliance in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

In FIG. 4, the home appliance 10 having built with the WIFI module 12 isat standby for a WIFI connection (100). The terminal 30 executes anautomatic set-up APP that is configured to proceed with the set-up ofthe WIFI of the home appliance 10 (102).

After the above, a user selects an AP conversion mode to proceed withthe set-up of the WIFI of the home appliance 10 by using the terminal 30that supports the WIFI (104).

In an embodiment, the description with respect to selecting the APconversion mode is made in relation that the AP conversion buttons 20-2and 20-3 which are the RINSE button 20-2 and the SPIN button 20-3. Theselection of the AP conversion mode is achieved in a way to pushing theRINSE button 20-2 and the SPIN button 20-3 simultaneously for a certainperiod of time, that is, approximately 3 to 4 seconds, so that the APmode may be performed. Although in an embodiment, as a non-limitingexample, the AP conversion mode is made by using the RINSE button 20-2and the SPIN button 20-3, the present disclosure is not limited thereto.For example, the separate button dedicated to the AP conversion may beprovided to the home appliance 10 or any combination of the buttons maybe used to invoke the AP conversion mode. In addition, when the inputunit is a touch screen, a graphical interface such as an icon may beused for the AP conversion mode.

As the AP conversion mode is selected, the home appliance controllingunit 24 operates the WIFI module 12 built at the home appliance 10 as anAP mode (106).

Thus, a user selects information that is to be set up at the homeappliance 10 from WIFI set-up information being used at the terminal 30(108), and the APP installed at the terminal 30 transmits the selectedset-up information, such as the SSID, the authentication method, theencryption method, and the authentication key, to the home appliance 10through the WIFI (110).

As the above, as the set-up information that a user selects istransmitted by the terminal APP to the home appliance 10, the WIFImodule 12 built at the home appliance 10 makes an attempt to connect tothe AP 40 by using the set-up information that is transmitted from theterminal 30 (112).

At this time, when an encryption is not set up at the home appliance 10,the terminal APP transmits device information and device authenticationkey that are being input from the user to the home appliance 10 throughthe WIFI (114).

As a result of the above, the set-up of the WIFI of the home appliance10 is completed (116). In addition, upon the completion of the WIFIset-up, a user selects the power, the set-up completion key, or thepower-OFF within a certain period of time.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a method of setting up a network by usingthe terminal 30 having built with the NFC module 32 at the networksystem of the home appliance in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

In FIG. 5, the home appliance 10 having built with the WIFI module 12 isat standby for the WIFI connection (200), and the terminal 20 executesan automatic set-up APP that is configured to proceed with the set-up ofthe WIFI of the home appliance 10 (202).

In addition, with respect to the home appliance controlling unit 24,When the terminal 30 having built with a NFC module, when the terminal30 is placed within the range of the home appliance 10, the terminal 30is AP-connected to the home appliance 10. Thus, by transmitting WIFIset-up information stored at the terminal 30 to the AP home appliance10, a control operation is performed in a way that the WIFI set-up ofthe home appliance 10 may be taken place without a separate manipulationby a user.

The home appliance controlling unit 24, after enabling the terminal 30,having loaded with the NFC module 32, to be AP-connected to the homeappliance 10 by placing the terminal 30 within the range of the homeappliance 10, when the home appliance 10 is connected to the AP 40, byselecting one set-up information from the AP set-up information beingused at the terminal 30, the information such as a SSID, anauthentication method, an encryption method, and an authentication key,to set up the WIFI of the home appliance 10 is set up at the homeappliance 10 without a user having to reenter the information needed toset up the WIFI of the home appliance 10.

After the above, a user places the terminal 30 having built with the NFCmodule 32 within the range of the home appliance 10 (204).

As the terminal 30 having built with the NFC module 32 is placed withinthe range of the home appliance 10, the terminal 30 and the homeappliance 10 starts the NFC communication.

Thus, a user selects the information that is to be set up at the homeappliance 10 from the WIFI set-up information being used at the terminal30 (206), and the APP installed at the terminal 30 transmits theselected set-up information, such as the SSID, the authenticationmethod, the encryption method, and the authentication key, to the homeappliance 10 through the NFC communication (208).

As the above, as the set-up information that a user selected istransmitted by the terminal APP to the home appliance 10, the WIFImodule 12 built at the home appliance 10 makes an attempt to connect tothe AP 40 by using the set-up information that is transmitted from theterminal 30 (210).

At this time, when an encryption is not set up at the home appliance 10,the terminal 30 APP transmits device information and deviceauthentication key that are being input from the user to the homeappliance 10 through the NFC communication (212).

As a result of the above, the set-up of the WIFI of the home appliance10 is completed (214).

As the above, in a conventional method of setting up the WIFI of thehome appliance 10, the input interface or the display apparatusconfigured to set up the WIFI is needed at the home appliance 10, but inthe present disclosure, by using the terminal 30, the input is madepossible without a separate manipulation of a user, and the AP set-upvalue or the device information, as well as the device authenticationkey are made possible to be changed.

Hereafter, referring to FIG. 6, the description will be made in relationto the operation after the home appliance 10 having built with the WIFImodule 12 is set up to be connected to the AP 40 by using the terminal30 capable of supporting the WIFI or by using the terminal 30 havingbuilt with the NFC module 32.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a method of controlling the homeappliance at the network system of the home appliance after the homeappliance is set up to be connected to the AP 40 in accordance with anembodiment of the present disclosure.

In FIG. 6, when the power of the home appliance 10 is ON, the homeappliance 10 is at standby for the WIFI connection (300), and a userexecutes the APP at the terminal 30 (302).

Thus, the APP at the terminal 30 makes an attempt to be connected to thehome appliance 10 through the WIFI or through the NFC communication(304), and the home appliance 10 checks that the device information andthe device authentication key are correct (306).

After the confirmation is made at the home appliance 10 that the deviceinformation and the device authentication key are correct, the homeappliance 10 transmits the device state, the operation information, andthe error information to the terminal 30 (308).

Thus, a user may be able to checks and proceed with the device state,the operation information, and the error information of the homeappliance 10 through the APP at the terminal 30 (310), and in addition,through the APP of the terminal 30, the operation information of thehome appliance 10 may be modified, or the home appliance 10 may beturned OFF (312).

Although a few embodiments of the present disclosure have been shown anddescribed, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art thatchanges may be made in these embodiments without departing from theprinciples and spirit of the disclosure, the scope of which is definedin the claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A home appliance comprising: a firstcommunication circuitry configured to communicate with a mobile terminalplaced within a first communication range supporting a firstcommunication method; a second communication circuitry configured tocommunicate with an external wireless access point apparatus placedwithin a second communication range supporting a second communicationmethod different from the first communication method; and at least oneprocessor configured to: control the first communication circuitry todetect the mobile terminal which is placed within the first range, themobile terminal being executing an application for communicating withthe home appliance; based on detecting the mobile terminal, obtain, viathe first communication circuitry, network set-up information from themobile terminal for connecting to the external wireless access pointapparatus; control the second communication circuitry to establish acommunication with the external wireless access point apparatus usingthe obtained network set-up information; and control the secondcommunication circuitry to access an internet via the external wirelessaccess point apparatus.
 2. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein thenetwork set-up information includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) ofthe external wireless access point apparatus which was used to connectthe mobile terminal with the external wireless access point apparatus.3. The home appliance of claim 2, wherein the network set-up informationfurther includes authentication information to access the externalwireless access point apparatus.
 4. The home appliance of claim 1,wherein the first communication range is shorter than the secondcommunication range.
 5. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the atleast one processor is further configured to obtain a control commandthrough the second communication circuitry from the external terminalwhich is executing the application.
 6. The home appliance of claim 1,wherein the first communication method is a Bluetooth communicationmethod.
 7. The home appliance of claim 1, wherein the firstcommunication method is a nearfield communication method.
 8. The homeappliance of claim 1, wherein at least one processor is furtherconfigured to control the first communication circuitry to receiveinformation about the mobile terminal via an executed home applianceapplication installed on the mobile terminal to establish the firstcommunication.
 9. A method for controlling a home appliance to access aninternet, the method comprising: controlling a first communicationcircuitry of the home appliance to detect a mobile terminal which isplaced within a first communication range by a first communicationmethod, the mobile terminal being executing an application forcommunicating with the home appliance; based on detecting the mobileterminal, obtaining, via the first communication circuitry, networkset-up information from the mobile terminal for connecting to anexternal wireless access point apparatus which is placed within a secondcommunication range by a second communication method; controlling asecond communication circuitry of the home appliance to establish acommunication with the external wireless access point apparatus usingthe obtained network set-up information; and controlling the secondcommunication circuitry to access an internet via the external wirelessaccess point apparatus by the second communication method different fromthe first communication method.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein thenetwork set-up information includes a Service Set Identifier (SSID) ofthe external wireless access point apparatus which was used to connectthe mobile terminal with the external wireless access point apparatus.11. The method of claim 10, wherein the network set-up informationfurther includes authentication information to access the externalwireless access point apparatus.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein thefirst communication range is shorter than the second communicationrange.
 13. The method of claim 9, further comprising: obtaining acontrol command through the second communication circuitry from theexternal terminal which is executing the application.
 14. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the first communication method is a Bluetoothcommunication method.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein the firstcommunication method is a nearfield communication method.
 16. The methodof claim 9, wherein the detecting of the mobile terminal includesreceiving information about the mobile terminal via an executed homeappliance application installed on the mobile terminal to establish thefirst communication.